Portsmouth to start next season’s League One campaign in League Two

Cash-strapped Portsmouth are facing the prospect of a difficult season after the Football League insisted that they must start their upcoming League One campaign in League Two.

With only eight senior players on their books, the club also face the possibility of starting their first league fixture against Bournemouth with rush goalies.

Pompey administrator Trevor Birch revealed that players could be forced to use torches during evening fixtures so that they won’t have to turn the floodlights on.

“We’re on a meter at the moment, but we are running desperately short of fifty pence pieces,” he said.

“I don’t suppose you’ve got any loose change going spare?” he added.

The Football League have defended their decision to impose further punishment on the club.

“Despite the club’s former owner, Vladimir Antonov, passing the Football League’s owners and directors test, it is important that the people that suffer most in all of this are the fans,” said a Football League Spokesperson.

“We have to be seen to be doing something, and we know that it doesn’t matter what we throw at them they won’t walk away.”